The application of lubricious coatings to medical devices is within the purview of those skilled in the art. For example, metallic devices such as surgical needles may have lubricious coatings applied thereto to facilitate the passage of the needle through tissue. Other medical devices, including those which may come into contact with tissue or additional medical devices, may similarly benefit from the application of a lubricious coating thereto, for example, to enhance the passage of the device through tissue or the passage of one medical device in contact with a second medical device, for example, the passage of a catheter through a cannula.
Yet other medical devices which may benefit from a lubricious coating include seals utilized with access ports in connection with minimally invasive surgical procedures such as endoscopic and laparoscopic procedures. Laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures generally require that any instrumentation inserted into the body be sealed, i.e. provisions must be made to ensure that gases do not enter or exit the body through the incision as, for example, in surgical procedures in which the surgical region is insufflated. These procedures often employ surgical instruments which are introduced into the body through a cannula. The cannula has a housing at a proximal end thereof in which a seal assembly is mounted. The seal assembly provides a substantially fluid tight seal about the instrument to preserve the integrity of the established pneumoperitoneum. Such devices, including cannulas, seals, and instruments passing therethrough, may benefit from the application of a lubricious coating thereon.
One issue which may arise with the application of a lubricious coating to a substrate, especially a flexible substrate, is the lubricious coating may fracture or delaminate from the substrate to which it is applied. Thus, a lubricious coating capable of avoiding delamination or fracturing would be desirable.